The above table serves as a snapshot of the typical factors that impact ridership, and illustrates the differences which exist between the current month and the same month in the previous year. If a change occurred, it is categorized to represent a (typically) positive, negative or neutral impact on ridership.More details on the observed impacts are noted in the description of ridership results below. ​

​Local Network Overview

Local Bus

Monthly Total

There were 4,789,532 boardings in June 2016 on local bus service. This is an increase of 146,124 boardings (or 3 percent increase) compared to June 2015. There were several factors that contributed to a ridership gain, with weather being a major cause. Although June 2016 and June 2015 had similar weather patterns (four days with over one inch and approximately nine inches total in both months), the anticipation and coverage of Tropical Storm Bill on Wednesday June 16, 2015, resulted in school closures and less than half of typical weekday ridership. No single weather days in 2016 had an impact that large.

​Light Rail

Monthly Total

There were 1,516,669 boardings on all three light rail lines in June 2016. This is an increase of 199,939 boardings (or 15 percent increase) over June 2015. Three additional special events in June 2016 relative to the previous year was the major factor contributing to this increase in ridership. Three Copa America Centenario soccer tournament games were held at NRG during June 2016 (one Saturday game and two weekday games). Red line boardings were 14% to 22% higher on game days compared to non-game days.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership on Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday all increased in 2016 compared to 2015. Weekday average daily ridership increased by 7,366 boardings (or 14 percent), Saturday average daily ridership increased by 4,726 boardings (or 19 percent), and Sunday average daily ridership increased by 5,424 (or 29 percent).​ Contributing to this increase were the above mentioned special events and the growth on the Green and Purple lines after one full year of ridership.

Total Local Network

Monthly Total

Local network ridership increased in 2016 compared to the previous year by 346,063 boardings (an increase of 6 percent) due to the factors noted earlier.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership increased on Weekday, increased on Saturday, and Sunday on the local network, by 3 percent, 14 percent, and 33 percent, respectively. The large Saturday and Sunday increases experienced in 2016 compared to 2015 result from increased service levels on the weekend in the New Bus Network, as well as other factors noted earlier.

​Commuter Network Overview

Park & Ride

Monthly Total

There were 718,251 Park & Ride boardings in June 2016 compared to 746,808 boardings in June 2015, a decrease of 28,558 boardings (or a loss of 4 percent). Despite the same number of weekdays in June 2016 as June 2015, plus higher ridership loss in 2015 due to weather, Park & Ride decreased year-to-year. This is most likely due to the decline in Houston’s Oil & Gas industry.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday

Average weekday ridership in June 2016 was 32,921 boardings, a decrease of 1,792 boardings compared to June 2015 (a 5 percent loss).​

Entire Network Summary

Monthly Total

Ridership on the entire fixed-route network in June 2016 increased by 5 percent compared to the previous year. Relevant factors were noted earlier and are included in the factors table above.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership for the entire fixed-route network increased on Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the weekend showing large gains due to increased service levels on local bus, the bus-rail interface, and growth on the Red, Green, and Purple rail lines.